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ALASKA COMMUNITY TRANSIT
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Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Program

Title 49 USC § 5310 authorizes the formula assistance program for the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program and provides formula funding to states and designated recipients (recipients) to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding the transportation mobility options available.

Under MAP-21 this program no longer provides a single apportionment to each state; it now provides apportionments specifically for large urbanized, small urbanized, and rural areas. Consistent with the type of projects eligible under the former New Freedom Program, MAP-21 expanded the eligible activities to include operating expenses.

Organizations Eligible to Receive 5310 Funds

  • Private nonprofit organizations; or
  • State or local government authority that:
    • are approved by a state to coordinate services for seniors and individuals with disabilities; or
    • certifies that there are no nonprofit organizations readily available in the area to provide the service;
  • Is in a community that has a current coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan.

Projects Eligible to Receive the 5310 Funds

Projects selected for funding must be included in a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan.

This program provides grant funds for capital (such as new or replacement vehicles, computer hardware or software, purchase of services), and operating expenses to recipients for:

  • Public transportation projects planned, designed, and carried out to meet the special needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities when public transportation is insufficient, inappropriate, or unavailable;
  • Public transportation projects that exceed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.);
  • Public transportation projects that improve access to fixed-route service and decrease reliance on complementary paratransit; and
  • Alternatives to public transportation projects that assist seniors and individuals with disabilities with transportation.

Projects That Have Been Funded In the Past with 5310 Funds

Successful past projects include:

  • Purchasing an ADA accessible van to provide demand response service;
  • Purchasing dispatch/scheduling software for a non-profit human services agency;
  • Purchase of rides on paratransit and taxi contractors; and
  • Mobility Management

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